Ellis Names Banyana Squad To Face USA

Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has announced her squad to face the United States of America in two international friendlies this month.

This will be the team’s first outing since their historic knockout stage qualification at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last month.

The friendlies are set to be played in Cincinnati and Chicago on 21 and 24 September, when the four-time world champions want to send off one of their star players in Megan Rapinoe, who announced her retirement from professional football by the end of the year.

The former world champions, who are ranked third in the world, have played South Africa before in 2016 and 2019, winning 1-0 and 3-0, respectively, but they are meeting in a time where Banyana have had major improvements that’s seen them win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and climb into 45th position in the world rankings and second in Africa.

With only two rounds of Hollywoodbets Super League action being played since the World Cup, Ellis picked many her regulars, with Lonathemba Mhlongo of UWC as well as Sinoxolo Cesane, who plays in the US for East Tennessee State, the new names in the squad. The duo replace the injured Bambanani Mbane and captain Refiloe Jane, who haven’t recovered in time.

Full squad: